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How Graduate School Ate My Life

Hello Lovelies!!

Sorry I've been MIA lately, This last semester of graduate school has been particularly challenging plus the added benefit (/time eater) of a part-time position at a high school library. I've still been reading a lot but I've been terrible at keeping up with my reviews! Because double-posting is very time-consuming, I'm going to post my review to Goodreads and just take a sentence to describe the book here. If you click on the title, it will link to my full review on Goodreads. So if you're interested, keep reading!

A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula K. Le Guin: It's not a bad book per se.

The Perilous Gard by Elizabeth Marie Pope : Even though I was bored nearly to tears by the first 2/3rds or so of this book, I ended up rather enjoying it for some inexplicable reason.

Dealing with Dragons by Patricia C. Wrede: This is another favorite from my childhood which only gets better with subsequent rereads.

Enchantress from the Stars by Sylvia Engdahl: While I can appreciate what Engdahl was attempting to do with the text, I couldn't get beyond the shifts in perspective and overwhelmingly cheesy narrative.

Once Upon a Time: A Short History of Fairy Tale by Marina Warner: I think in many ways it would be an excellent book for a beginner because it explains so much of what is basic knowledge for someone interested in fairy tales or story telling.

Have Space Suit -- Will Travel by Robert A. Heinlein:  I enjoyed reading it immensely, and I would recommend it to those who are looking for a fun science fiction novel.

Pantomime by Laura Lam:  I am so excited that Lam's books are being rereleased (although in the UK -- get on it USA!) because I cannot wait to finish this series.

The Marbury Lens by Andrew Smith: A second reread made me feel slightly more sure about my feelings about this book, but I still spend a lot of time thinking about it.

The White Mountains by John Christopher: For a book with a decent premise, Christopher completely failed to follow through.

Hawkeye vs Deadpool by Gerry Duggan: Although it wasn't my favorite, I would recommend it to fans of graphic novels or superheroes.

Ms Marvel Vol 3: Crushed by G. Willow Wilson:  Wilson manages to tackle real issues in the world of superheroes all the while building a fantastic plot.

Phonogram Vol 2: The Singles Club by Kieron Gillen:  I loved that it was in color (I know it shouldn't really matter but it does), and I loved the variety in stories this time around.

The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents by Terry Pratchett:  I would recommend it to people who enjoy animal narrators and sarcastic protagonists.

Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH by Robert C. O'Brien: Although I read voraciously as a child, I somehow managed to miss this middle grade novel about a devoted mouse mother and her journey to help her sick child.

Carry On by Rainbow Rowell: It was everything a great fanfic would be-- except the rather tame love story.

Lumberjanes: Friendship to the Max by Noelle Stevenson: The camp developed even more, the plot line picked up, and the character development became even better.

The Rest of Us Just Live Here by Patrick Ness: I would recommend it to people who have said things like "What about the other Sunnydale students" or "How much would it suck to be in the grades around Harry Potter?"

Sweet Whispers, Brother Rush by Virginia Hamilton: This is one of those books that I really really wanted to like, but I just couldn't.

Love in the Time of Global Warming by Francesca Lia Block: This is a tricky book to get through because it's a subtle modern day retelling of Homer's Odyssey

Fade by Robert Cormier: It's intriguing to think about one ability over three generations and how it affects each of them.

Coraline by Neil Gaiman: It was unsettling and creepy, although for chunks of it  I didn't have a reason as to why it was so unnerving.

Deerskin by Robin McKinley: McKinley's writing is flawless, and while the story is tragic, I felt like McKinley gave every bit of it purpose in her retelling.

I'll Meet You There by Heather Demetrios: I'm apparently one of the very few people who didn't adore this book.

The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman: When I talk about formative books of my childhood, this book ties with Harry Potter.

Rat Queens Vol 1: Sass and Sorcery by Kurtis J. Wiebe: Rat Queens is everything I want from my comics.

Rat Queens Vol 2: The Far Reaching Tentacles of N'yrgoth by Kurtis J. Wiebe: This second set of Rat Queen comics is even better than the first!

Akata Witch by Nnedi Okorofor:  I loved every bit of Akata Witch and I cannot wait for the sequel to be released.

Gotham Academy Vol 1: Welcome to Gotham Academy by Becky Cloonan: I think it would appeal to middle grade readers and it's certainly appropriate for their age group.

The Summer Prince by Alaya Dawn Johnson: This is a book where even though I was pretty sure I knew what was going to happen, I still enjoyed reading every moment of it.

Adaptation by Malinda Lo: Do you ever read a book and wonder if the author wrote it during National Novel Writing Month?

The Secret of Platform 13 by Eva Ibbotson: Each piece of this short middle grade adventure is a delight.

Otherbound by Corinne Duyvis: Duyvis truly manages to create two realistic worlds inhabited by a plethora of fascinating characters.

The Subtle Knife by Philip Pullman: But as an adult, I could appreciate this second part of Lyra's story more than when I was a kid.

The Shadow Cabinet by Maureen Johnson:  I think Johnson's humor is excellent and she pairs it nicely with adventure and tension in this series.

The Circus Fire: A True Story of an American Tragedy by Stewart O'Nan: For the middle chunk of this book, I would cry every paragraph.

Whew!! Hopefully I won't let myself get that far behind again. Hope you are all wrapping up 2015 nicely! Expect to see my End of the Year Survey in the next couple of days!!





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